Fifteen Minutes
by fantasticbeasts
Summary: Fifteen minutes is all it ever really takes. After an unexpected encounter, two teens find themselves spiraling.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **All persons appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Unless of course, you find yourself relating to the teenage boy in this work and realise that you very much resemble each other in appearance and events then please, for the love of everything that is good in the world, please reach me here ; thank you very much.

She stood up, her sweaty palm and fingers gripping the card. She took a deep breath, and stepped into the rain. Within seconds her hair matted to her face and her shoulders were shiny with rain. She looked down at the card and saw it was drizzled here and there with raindrops, she wiped the card on her shirt.

The sky was a dark grey, casting a gloomy look on everyone and everything. Everyone was either huddled under white mesh umbrellas waiting for the rain to hold up, or queueing in one of the food lines. The girl with the rain-washed hair on the other hand had no caution against the rain, on the contrary she loved standing in the rain and getting drenched; she also had no appetite or patience to wait in the food lines like the rest. The only thing that mattered to her at the moment was giving the card over.

Her face was serious with determination, her footsteps causing little splashes of water here and there in puddles in the now dark grey concrete. Her breathing was gradually unsteady with slight nerves. Otherwise, she felt determined and ready. She saw him, standing by the white railings with the same two boys she saw earlier. He stood there lanky, and pale with a teal rain-stained t-shirt and cargo shorts. He looked far more attractive than she remembered, his jet black hair sticking to the sides of his face from the rain. He was facing sideways away from her when she approached. She didn't hesitate, she didn't think once of the consequences that would come, she didn't mind that by this point she was completely drenched in rain and her hair was beginning to curl at the ends giving her a shaggy look. She stepped forward and lightly touched his arm, he didn't respond the first time but she tapped his forearm twice this time, slightly rougher trying to get his attention.


	2. Chapter 2

When he finally turned around she noticed his eyes were a piercing blue and his lips were a rosy pink. He looked at her, rather confused. She started forward and shoved the card into his hands. The last thing she saw was him turning and a boy who was with him leaning over to get a look at what the stranger had given his friend. She saw the boy in the teal shirt looking at the card but that was all she managed to get a look at. She began walking away confident and smiling with success. Her heart was fluttering when she saw her friend walking away trying her best not to crack up laughing. She didn't once turn around to see the boy's reaction.  
"You have some real balls, let me tell you!" her friend teased her as they walked in the rain looking for a safe place to sit.  
"I had to seize the moment, I mean I might not ever see him again."  
"Yeah, I guess you're right."

After the episode of rumbling thunder, flashing lightning, and the downpour of rain, the two girls enjoyed the rest of the time they had at the amusement park. They shared many laughs, rode several rollercoasters, and winked at passing cute boys; by the time the sun had bid farewell and sank beneath the rolling green hills, by the time the sky had bled its last crimson light, the girl with the sweaty palms, and shaggy hair had long forgotten her earlier feat of confidence. She'd forgotten what the boy in the teal shirt had even looked like.  
The two friends sat on the weather-worn rails outside of the amusement park waiting for their ride home. The stars were beginning to poke through the deep blue sky that was gradually changing into a black; there was a slight breeze that rustled the leaves of the tree over head and the soft murmur of everyone now exiting the park was heard.  
Their feet slowly kicked back and forth as they swung their legs unknowingly. They were chatting about the upcoming school year and their college classes when they heard a rustling behind them, they thought nothing of it until they heard it again. Syssss. Susss. Sysssss. The girl with the mussed hair was the first to look behind her. She only saw the silhouette of the branches and leaves of the tree. The sky was now a milky black. She looked back one more time to notice three boys taking a seat on the railing behind them. Her friend turned her head, she heard her sharp inhale.  
"What is it what's wrong?"  
"Oh my god, don't you see who that is?"  
"What, no. It's too dark. How could you possibly-"  
"Oh my god. OH MY GOD! It's the boy with the teal shirt remember?"  
"Holy crap..." "Let's like pretend to leave or something, oh my god he probably thinks I'm a freak who just likes to go up to random strangers and give them random cards. He probably thinks I'm just some stupid, desperate, little girl.. let's go."  
She started pulling on her friend's arm, but she wouldn't budge. She stopped struggling and looked her friend squarely in the face, mustering the most serious face she could. Her friend sat on the railing giggling.  
"Seriously, we need to move."  
"No, what if he like comes over here and asks your name or something?"  
"Come on, this isn't some stupid love movie like The Last Song or whatever."  
"Just sit down, he probably doesn't even know you're here."  
She sighed, and took her seat on the railing considering her failed efforts a waste of energy. By now, she was beyond tired; her feet ached, her calves burned. She knew she'd feel it all ten times worse in the morning.  
"Um, hello.." said a voice to her left.  
She looked and there he was, standing there in the dim golden light of the street light. He was standing tall with his hands in his pocket, confident in his next move.


	3. Chapter 3

The boy with the teal-coloured shirt stepped forward and looked straight at her. He smiled and began to speak.  
"Hey, I um.."  
He cleared his throat.  
"I just recognised you.. you're the girl who gave me that card earlier today, right?"  
She looked at friend, she was clearly straining herself from giggling and was looking the other way. She looked up at the boy, his hair jet black in the low light. The sun was now gone for the night and the stars shone through like tiny dots of light filtering through black construction paper. She couldn't bear to look him in the eyes, she felt embarrassed.  
"Yeah, that was me..." she laughed nervously.  
"Well, I just want to say thanks."  
There was an awkward silence; the air was full of the buzz of people talking, laughing, the sound of cars driving by, the crickets chirping.  
The boy started forward and took a seat on the rail. He broke the silence..  
"Where'd you get that card anyways?"  
He was looking at her, he turned his body sideways so it was easier to see.  
She avoided his glance and stared at her shoes, talking to the floor.  
"I, um.. I made it."  
"That's pretty neat.. it's very creative."  
She looked up suddenly, now looking into his face.  
"Really? You think that?"  
They were now looking at each other.  
"Yeah! I mean, it's actually pretty sweet."  
She chuckled.  
"I thought it'd probably creep you out."  
"No, not at all."  
Awkward silence.  
He kicked at a pebble by his shoe.  
"Me name's Rowen."  
He held out his hand. She took it. His hand was soft and warm, hers was cold and sweaty as always.  
"I'm Leah. Nice to meet you."  
"Yeah, likewise."  
"ROWEN! WE HAVE TO GO, NOW."  
His friend showed up from the left, a bag in his hand. Rowen stood up and looked at Leah with regrettable eyes, his face clearly showing disappointment. Leah stood up too, looking at his tall friend. Rowen looked back at him then back at Leah. He reached into his jean pocket and pushed something into Leah's hand. He turned and started to leave when stopped and looked at Leah one more time, he smiled a reassuring smile and left.


End file.
